Butterfly Museum

A moth of the Saturniidae family. It is endemic to Argentina. The wingspan is 80–100 mm. The larvae feed on Fraxinus, Ligustrum vulgare and Ligustrum sinense.

Genus of very large butterflies of Saturniidae family.

The family of Saturniidae. Silk moths. Place of residence of the Silk Moth – from India, Indonesia and Malaysia to China. It is known a lot of subspecies of these moths. One of the subspecies - emperor moths, which is considered to be the largest in the world (wing-spans is more than 32 cm). Fancy curved border of the forewing in shape and form imitates the snake’s head. This frightens off a lot of insectivorous animals. Caterpillars feed themselves on the foliage of trees of different types. Unusually big, they are covered with succulent outgrowth and as if covered with white powder. Pupate in cocoon, attached to a leaf.

Rothschildia aurota cames from Eastern Peru and was reared on Ligustrum ovalifolium. The species flies in all the Amazonian Basin. Locality: Brasil. Size: 120 mm (wingspan).

A large moth in the Noctuidae family. It has numerous common names, including White Witch, Birdwing Moth, Ghost Moth, Great Grey Witch, and Great Owlet Moth. It has a wingspan of up to 12 inches (31 cm), making it the Lepidopteran with the biggest wingspan. (The Atlas moth, however, has a greater wing area.) The species occurs in Mexico, Central and South America, but it appears as a stray as far north as Texas. This species is considered endangered in the state of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, where it reaches the southern limit of its distribution.

Species of silk moths from the subfamily of Arsenurinae. They can be found from Mexico to Bolivia and in Ecuador. Wing-spans is 100—120 mm. Plants to feed the caterpillar - Guazuma ulmifolia, Rollinia membranacea and Bombacopsis quinatum.

Lepidoptera genus from Saturniidae family and sub-family of Arsenurinae.

Background color of the wings – dun, with different tones. Dark brown pattern on the forewing with its’ shape resembling the horned moon. Going wider to the front border of the wing, it takes the major part of it. Laconic dressing is accomplished with narrow light marginal stripe and black prolonged spot near edge in light surrounding. Amazing form of the forewing makes its prolonged top. Hindwing is decorated by alternate stripes of different tones and shapes. These butterflies live in tropical forests of South-East of Brazil and Peru.

Lepidoptera genus from Saturniidae family and sub-family of Arsenurinae.

Lepidoptera genus from Saturniidae family and sub-family of Arsenurinae.

Lepidoptera genus from Saturniidae family and sub-family of Arsenurinae.

Lepidoptera genus from Saturniidae family and sub-family of Arsenurinae.

A natural fauna of tropical India. Wide disritbution and polyphagy of this insect species had resulted in extensive variation in the population. As high as nineteen ecoraces have been reported in this species which feed primarily on Terminalia species and Shorea robusta and also on number of secondary food plants.

Big massive butterfly with wing-spans up to 13 cm, from the family hawk moths (Sphingidae). The largest representative of the family on the territory of Europe. A distinctive feature is the specific pattern on the chest resembling a human skull, which served as the basis for a number of legends and superstitions about this butterfly. Length of the forewing is up to 70 mm. Wing-spans for males – 90-115 mm, females — 100-130 mm. Forewings are more than twice longer than their width, with priostrsnioy apex. Their external border is flat. Hindwings are usually 1,5 times longer than their width. Areal: autochthonous further South than the Alps. Southern and partly Central Europe, Azoreses, Africa, Madagascar, Middle East, Syria, Turkey, Northern Iran. In Crimea this species is very rare. Primordially, country of origin of European population – is Northern Africa. Even population which live on the South of Europe, periodically need to be refilled from migrants from more southern regions.

Species of butterflies from the family hawk moths. Large butterflies with wing-spans 105—135 mm. A distinctive feature of the representative of the species is a chest with pattern resembling human skull. Variety of coloration of forewings – clearness and intense, dark stripes. Hindwings are ochraceous -yellow with two black transversal stripes. Abdomen is yellow with black circles along which there is wide blue-grey stripe. Proboscis is short.

Lepidoptera genus from Saturniidae family and sub-family of Arsenurinae.